Syracuse University men's lacrosse team to face Rutgers at UConn's "Rent" this season

Syracuse, NY -- Already scheduled to participate in the Faceoff Classic and Big City Classic this season, the Syracuse University men's lacrosse team has agreed to join the four-team field for the second ESPNU Warrior Classic.

The Orange will face Big East rival Rutgers at 6:30 p.m. April 23 at Rentschler Field, home of the University of Connecticut football team. Massachusetts and Hofstra will meet in the opener at 4. SU apparently is giving up a home game to take part in the event, as it faced Rutgers on the road last season.

The Syracuse men’s lacrosse team’s 2011 contest against Big East rival Rutgers will be the nightcap of the second annual ESPNU Warrior Classic. The game will be played at 6:30 p.m. Aprils 23 at Rentschler Field as part of a doubleheader.

The ESPNU Warrior Classic gets under way at 4 p.m. with Massachusetts vs. Hofstra followed by the Orange and Scarlet Knights. Both games will be televised live nationally on ESPNU. Information regarding tickets will be released at a later date.

“We’re excited to be part of this event,” said Syracuse head coach John Desko. “ESPNU and Warrior did a tremendous job of getting it off the ground last season. It’s great exposure for the sport to have two more games on national television. On the field you have four good teams going at it. For us it’s an important conference game against Rutgers, so we’re looking forward to it.”

The Orange and Scarlet Knights have met at least once every season since 1979. Syracuse holds a 37-8 lead in the all-time series which dates back to 1924. The Orange posted an 11-5 victory in last year’s meeting in Piscataway.

For Syracuse, the ESPNU Warrior Classic is the third major lacrosse event the team is scheduled to participate in next season. The Orange will also face Georgetown at M&T Bank Stadium in the Konica Minolta Faceoff Classic on March 12 and Duke at the New Meadowlands Stadium in the Konica Minolta Big City Classic on April 3.

In the inaugural ESPNU Warrior Classic last year Denver defeated Fairfield and Massachusetts knocked off Georgetown at Rentschler Field.

Syracuse begins preseason practice in January in preparation for the upcoming 2011 season.